FastTracked
by unwittysidekick
Summary: Some relationships develop over time. Others, at a more accelerated pace.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: None of this is mine  
Setting: Season 9

A/N: Adult content in this chapter. If that isn't your cup of tea, don't read any further.

2030 local time  
Washington D.C.

Harm had just finished his third drink in as many minutes when somebody sat down next to him. Ignoring them, Harm signaled the bartender for another drink.

"I'll have one of whatever he's having."

The voice was familiar and Harm looked over, shocked, to find Jennifer Coates sitting next to him. She gave him a tentative smile then sighed in annoyance at the look the bartender was giving her. She pulled her ID, and a few crumbled up bills, out of her pocket, slapping both onto the counter top while muttering to herself.

"Can't believe I'm still getting carded."

Harm hid his grin, watching her pick her ID up as the bartender poured her a shot. Seeing that it was her _military_ ID the urge to smile vanished and he scowled, reminded again why he was sitting in this bar getting drunk. He raised his glass to her in mock salute before knocking it back. Jen followed suit. Almost immediately her eyes started watering and she coughed a little, finding the drink a lot stronger than she was used to.

Again Harm signaled for another. The bartender complied and then quirked an eyebrow at Jennifer. After a moment's hesitation she nodded and the bartender poured her a refill too.

"What are you doing here Coates?" Again, he swallowed his drink in one gulp.

Aware of what she was getting into this time, Jen sipped hers a little more slowly. Even so, it burned all the way down. "I didn't want you to have to drink alone sir."

"It's Harm, Jen. I'm not in the Navy anymore, remember?"

"Sir...Harm." Jen corrected herself when Harm shot her a look. "I'm sorry the Admiral wouldn't let you come back."

"You said that earlier, remember?" Harm reminded her, cutting her off before she could say anything else. "Besides, you don't really have anything to apologize for anyway. It's not like you're a party to this situation."

Jen reached out and covered his hand with her own. "Still, I _am_ sorry."

Harm placed his hand over hers and squeezed. "Thanks Jen."

He pulled his hand back, telling himself it was the alcohol, and not her hand on his, that was responsible for the spark he had felt.

At his words, Jennifer smiled at him. Gesturing for the bartender to bring them over a couple of draft beers, she changed the subject, trying to get his mind off of his situation. They talked for over an hour  
and towards the end of it Harm had even started smiling again.  
_  
Although the alcohol might have something to do with it,_ Jen thought to herself. It was certainly affecting her, and Harm had had a head start on her. She stopped thinking about that, though, when she heard the song that was starting to play over the jukebox.

"Ooo! I love this song!"

Harm looked over at her. "Seriously?"

Jen smacked him. "It's not that bad."

Harm was quiet for a second, then he held out his hand to her, almost knocking over their empty beer bottles in the process. "Can I have this dance?"

"Harm! You can't even stand up!"

"Can too!" He insisted. And to prove it he got up from the bar stool, swaying a moment till he regained his balance. "See!"

"Harm, you can't be serious." Jen said, laughing as he pulled her off of her stool and they stumbled over to an open spot by the jukebox. "We're the only ones out here."

"So?" He said, awkwardly twirling her.

He drew her back close and Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck as they awkwardly swayed to the music. Somehow they managed not to fall on their faces. As the song neared the end, Harm commented on that fact.

"See, this wasn't so bad."

Jen giggled. "We should try this again some time when we're sober."

As the last notes faded, Harm twirled her again and then dipped her. Their eyes locked and for a moment Harm forgot about everything except her. Finally he pulled her back up, his arms going around Jen's waist to pull her close to him. Jen's arms went around his neck again as Harm lowered his head and kissed her. After a moment they pulled back, staring into each other's eyes again. And then Harm was pulling her against him again. Her lips parted in silent invitation and Harm's tongue slipped in as he deepened the kiss. Finally they broke apart.

Harm rested his forehead against hers, gasping for air. "Your place or mine?"

"I have three roommates Harm. Definitely your place."

They moved off in the direction of the door. Once outside, Harm stopped long enough to pull his keys out of his pocket and assure himself that the security system in the Lexus was armed. That done, he put them back into his pocket and allowed Jen to lead him in the direction of the metro.

While they waited for the next train to arrive, Harm pressed Jen up against one of the support pillars, ignoring the occasional catcalls, plundering her mouth with his tongue. His hand cupped her cheek, his fingers threading through her hair. Jen's hands fell to his hips, tugging him closer to her. Harm groaned into her mouth, struggling to keep from grinding himself against her while they were still out in public.

Thankfully, their train arrived before his self-control gave out.

It was only a fifteen minute ride to Union Station and from there they walked the two blocks north to Harm's apartment. By unspoken agreement they kept their hands off of each other as they walked, both preferring to get somewhere more private as quickly as possible. As soon as the elevator door was closed, however, they were all over each other again. Jennifer pressed herself up against Harm and he wrapped his arms around her as he stumbled back into the elevator wall. One of Harm's hands moved down Jen's back until he reached the hem of her shirt. He slipped his hand underneath, encountering the smooth skin of her lower back. He felt Jen shiver at the skin on skin contact.

Before they could get any further, they reached Harm's floor. Without breaking off their kiss, Harm moved them over closer to the door. He reached out with his free hand and got the elevator's old-fashioned door open enough so they could stumble out and across the hallway to his door. While Harm fumbled for his keys and tried to get the door open, Jen started kissing her way across his jawline and down his neck. She had his shirt halfway unbuttoned by the time he finally got the door open. They stumbled inside and closed the door behind them.

Harm and Jen stared at each other for a moment, their breathing coming in ragged gasps. Jen took a step back from him and for a moment Harm thought she had changed her mind. Then she grasped the edges of her shirt and pulled it over her head, letting it drop to the floor by her feet. Harm stood there for a minute, drinking in the sight of her. Then she reached up and released the clasp on her bra, letting it fall to the floor with her shirt, revealing full breasts, her nipples hardened twin peaks.

"You're beautiful."

Jen blushed and stepped back into his arms. Harm groaned, the feel of her bare breasts pressing against him through his shirt making him even harder. He fumbled with the remaining buttons on his shirt, desperate to feel her breasts pressing against his bare skin. It quickly joined hers on the floor. Harm groaned again and recaptured her mouth with his. His hands reached for the buttons on her jeans and he felt her grin. She started backing away towards the direction of his bedroom, his grip on her jeans taking him with her.

Standing next to the bed, Jen stepped out of her jeans. As she slipped off her panties a part of Harm's mind noticed that they matched the bra that had been abandoned over by the door. Then all thought left him as Jen reached for his pants, stroking him through the denim before releasing the button and pulling the zipper down. He quickly stepped out of his jeans and boxers.

Harm was poised above her on the bed, just about to enter her, when a thought occurred to him.

Harm gritted his teeth, struggling with his self-control. His eyes met Jen's and he saw the unspoken question in her eyes. "I don't have any-"

In an instant she realized what he was worried about and shook her head, trying to reassure him. "It's okay. I'm on the Pill."

Relieved, Harm flexed his hips, thrusting until he was completely inside of her. She was tight, and Harm nearly lost it right then. He closed his eyes, struggling for control. When he opened them he saw Jen biting at her lower lip.

Concerned, Harm asked "Are you okay?"

Jen nodded. "Just been awhile."

"For me too." Harm waited, not moving, giving her body a chance to adjust to him, until Jen nodded that she was okay.

He started moving, quickly finding a rhythm that satisfied them both. He lowered his head to kiss her, lingering on her lips a moment before moving down to the spot where her neck and shoulder met. Jen gasped and clawed at his back and Harm grinned against her neck, realizing he must have found an extra sensitive spot.

All too soon Harm felt his release coming. Jen was right there with him. Her inner muscles contracted around him as she cried out his name and he let himself go. His whole world exploded and he collapsed on top of her, rolling off of her a second later so that he wouldn't crush her. Suddenly exhausted, Harm was barely aware of tugging Jen over to his side and pulling the sheets over them before sleep overtook him.

* * *

It was the headache that woke Harm. He blinked his eyes open, groaning when the morning light made his hangover feel worse. He started to get out of bed, intending to go find himself some aspirin, but couldn't because somebody's legs were tangled up with his own. Panicked, Harm turned his head and found Jennifer Coates lying next to him, still sound asleep. And in a flash the events of last night came flooding back on him: going to the bar to get drunk, Jen showing up, their kiss at the bar that had led to them coming back here. They had come together twice more during the night. And both times they had taken things slower than their first encounter, thoroughly exploring each other's bodies as they pleasured each other.

At that moment Jen stirred and stretched, blinking open her eyes. She groaned and rubbed at her temple and Harm knew that she too was suffering from a hangover. She looked over and grinned when she saw him watching her. She sat up a little, causing the sheet to fall around her waist, revealing her breasts, and tried to kiss him. Harm turned his head so the kiss landed on his cheek and not his lips. Jen pulled back, her brow furrowed in confusion. She clutched the sheet to her so her breasts were once again hidden from his view. Harm felt a flash of disappointment at that but he mentally smacked himself and told himself it was for the best.

"Jen, about last night..."

"Don't say it Harm." Jen said, shaking her head, still clutching the sheet to her body. "It wasn't a mistake. Okay, maybe the getting drunk first part was, but I don't regret spending the night with you. Last night, it meant a lot to me Harm."

"Jen?" Harm asked, for the first time seeing something in her eyes when she looked at him. Something, it slowly dawned on him, might have been there all along.

"It's okay Harm. I don't expect you to return my feelings." She started to get out of bed, pulling the sheet around her as she goes. "I probably should be going though. I need to go back to my apartment before reporting for duty."

Harm made a quick grab for one of the pillows, attempting to preserve his modesty even as a small voice in the back of his head reminded him that it was kind of pointless after last night. "Jen-"

"Don't forget to go pick up your car from the bar this morning." She said, interrupting him off as she started to gather her clothes from where they were scattered around on the floor.

Harm watched her for a second then reached down and grabbed his boxers off the floor, abandoning the pillow as he pulled them on. Getting up, he moved over to Jen. Her back was to him and he reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Jen."

She turned around. Harm's gaze was drawn to the mark he'd left on her - on her sweet spot where her neck and shoulder met. He reached out and ran his thumb over it. Jen closed her eyes and shivered at his touch.

"Jen." He said again.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. Slowly Harm lowered his head and kissed her. A slow, tender kiss. Not like the desperate, hungry kisses of the night before. Jen dropped her clothes, and the sheet, so she could wind her arms around his neck. The feel of her bare breast against his equally naked chest, the nipples hardening at the contact with his skin, drove Harm crazy and he struggled to keep the kiss tender.

Finally Harm broke off the kiss. It was still there. That spark between them that he'd tried to convince himself last night was just the alcohol. He rested his forehead against hers, trying to find the words for what he wanted to say. Jen grinned up at him, understanding what he was trying to say without him needing to say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers: None of this is mine  
Setting: Season 9

A/N: My extreme, sincere apologies for how long it took to update this. It wasn't my original intent to make you guys wait so long. In my eagerness to start posting this story, I didn't wait till I had more of it written like I had done with my previous multi-chapter stories. And then I got a little preoccupied with other things. Again, I'm really sorry.

0800 local time  
JAG Headquarters  
Falls Church, Virginia

Jen rode the elevator up to the third floor, her mind wandering. With great reluctance she'd left Harm's apartment, only to rush over to hers to grab a quick shower and her uniform before heading to JAG. One of her three roommates had still been there despite what time it was. Trying to get over the flu, Erica had been camped out on the couch, curled up in a blanket with a box of tissues and a jug of orange juice within easy reach. She'd raised an eyebrow when Jen had dashed through the door wearing the same clothes she'd had on the night before, but she didn't say anything, just went back to flipping channels on the TV.

The ding of the elevator as the door opened brought her back to the here and now. She paused for a second before stepping out. It felt so strange being there without Harm also being there. Sure, he'd actually been gone for a couple of weeks now, but she'd been thinking of it like one of his TAD assignments. Like him, she'd fully expected the Admiral to take him back when he returned from Paraguay. After all, she'd heard how the Admiral had sat on Colonel Mackenzie's resignation until she came to her senses.

The elevator doors started closing and Jen quickly stepped out. She mentally shook herself and got moving again. She was already about fifteen minutes late. As the Admiral's Yeoman, she needed to be setting an example for the rest of the enlisted staff. Pushing through the double doors leading into the bullpen, she almost ran into someone on their way out. A pair of hands reached out to her, gripping her shoulders to keep her from falling as she stumbled back, and she looked up to find a familiar face looking down at her.

"Wally. Sorry."

"Hey Jen." Petty Officer Third Class Wally Beckman said as he let go of her. "Everything okay? You're never late. I was starting to worry."

"My alarm clock died some time during the night." The lie was out of her mouth without her even needing to think about it. She continued. "I overslept."

He arched an eyebrow, obviously recognizing the signs of a hangover when he saw them, but didn't comment on it. "Well you're in luck. Admiral 'Stick-Up-His-Ass' hasn't come in yet."

"Wally..." Jen said, frowning at him.

"What? After the way he wouldn't let Commander Rabb come back?" His words unknowingly in line with her earlier thoughts. "Come on, don't try and tell me you don't feel the same. I saw you in his office yesterday while he was packing up."

He trailed off, obviously waiting for Jen to respond. Jen nodded her head, more in acknowledgment of his observation than in agreement with his words. She fought down the sudden irrational burst of panic that he would somehow make the connection between that conversation yesterday and her hangover this morning. Yes, she'd been in Harm's office yesterday, but it was only because she'd wanted to tell him how sorry she personally was that he couldn't come back. And while she was there, he'd mentioned his plans to go drinking that evening. She'd made the decision, without telling him beforehand, to join him because at the time it was the only way she could think of to be a friend to him. Certainly not because she was hoping for what had actually happened: a chance to act on her long held feelings and spend the night with him. Although some people might not see it that way when they found out.

All this passed through Jen's mind in the space of just a couple of seconds.

Wally, seeing that he wasn't going to get anything out of her, finally nodded his head and started to push through the double doors again.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Law library." He said, pausing and turning around again. "Colonel Mackenzie's on the war path again. She's got me chasing down some obscure case law reference."

He made a face, then inclined his head towards her, a grin tugging at the edges of his mouth as his good humor returned.

"Wish me luck?"

Jen chuckled, then groaned, her hand going to her temple. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts."

"I thought you said your alarm clock died." Wally said, a full fledged grin on his face now. He didn't make any move to raise his head.

Jen ignored his comment, reaching her hand out to ruffle his close cropped blond hair. "You do know you've got this backwards, right?"

"That's what they want you to think." Satisfied, he started moving again. Turning around to walk backwards, he continued talking to Jen. "Lunch later?"

"Of course." Jen said, chuckling as Wally nearly backed into an Ensign. She watched him until he turned the corner, then with a shake of her head, and another groan, she started towards her own office. And tried to ignore the sense of guilt she felt now that she didn't have Wally to distract her.

She had just gotten her purse and cover put away when Admiral Chegwidden walked in.

"Fax these over to SECNAV." He said without preamble, dropping a stack of reports onto her desk. He turned towards the door to his office. "See that I'm not disturbed until it's time for my first appointment."

The 'Aye, aye sir' was barely out of her mouth before the door slammed shut behind him. Jen stared at the door for a minute wondering if maybe Wally had been right after all, then sighed and reached for the pile in front of her. She didn't have a very good grip on them, though, and they fell out of her hands, scattering all over the floor of her office.

"Damn it!"

Crouching down, Jen started to gather everything up. She was almost done when Colonel Mackenzie walked into her office.

"When you finish there Petty Officer, I need you to pull some old case files. The government vs. Getty and government vs. Tomlinson."

Jen winced as the other woman's words were like daggers in her brain. She rubbed at her temple, deciding to track down some more aspirin when she was finished here.

"Not so loud ma'am. Please."

She straightened up, arms once more full of paperwork, and set it down on the corner of her desk before turning back to face Colonel Mackenzie.

"Little too much to drink last night Petty Officer?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at Jen.

"A...friend of mine got some bad news yesterday. I didn't want them to be alone." She spoke in the generalist terms she could but it still felt like she suddenly had a sign on her forehead saying 'I spend the night with Harm.'  
_  
At least my uniform covers all the marks,_ Jen thought as her hand rose unconsciously to rub at the mark Harm had made on her neck. She held her breath, waiting to see how Colonel Mackenzie would respond.

Mac frowned, as if she sensed there was something else that Jen wasn't telling her. But after a moment she merely nodded her head in acceptance of Jen's words. "Just don't make a habit of it Petty Officer."

"Yes ma'am." Jen said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Mac turned to leave the office, speaking over her shoulder as she walked. "Make sure you pull my files."

Jen glanced back at the disarrayed pile of reports on her desk that she would now have to organize before being able to do anything else with them.

"Yes ma'am." She muttered again even though the Colonel hadn't bothered to stick around for a response.

She watched in dismay as the wind from the other woman's passage out of the office blew half the pile back onto the floor. And she felt her headache getting stronger.

Things got better as the day progressed though, especially once the aspirin kicked in, and the rest of the morning passed without incident.

It was just after twelve when Seaman Shannon Collins stuck her head into Jen's office.

"Everyone's fixin' to leave."

Jen glanced up from the memo she was typing. "Okay, just let me save this and I'll be right down."

"You better," Shannon said, then smirked. "It's your turn to drive."

Jen made a face then turned her attention back to closing down the program she was in.

It was Wednesday, which meant they were going to Beltway Burgers for lunch. Any of the enlisted staff was welcome to come, regardless of their rating or of how long they had been at headquarters. Not everyone came every week, but there was always a fairly large group and they took turns carpooling so it wasn't always the same people who had to drive.

The whole thing had taken Jen a little by surprise when she first transferred to JAG. But after a couple of weeks of watching most of the office clear out come lunch time and everyone coming back laughing and joking and just looking more relaxed than when they had left, she'd decided to give it a try. It had quickly become one of the highlights of the work week.

Once they got there, half the group split off to grab seats in their usual spot while the rest of them got in line and started ordering before switching places. The employees at the counter didn't even flinch at the sight of so many hungry military personnel, so accustomed were they to it now, and soon everyone had their food.

Jen found herself crammed into a booth with five other people. The rest of the group was crammed into another booth directly behind hers or sitting around a couple of small tables that had been dragged over to their corner. Ignoring the cramped conditions, Jen got to work on her hamburger.

"Well. That was just plain rude."

"Hmm?" Jen looked up from her half-eaten burger at Shannon's comment but the young woman wasn't looking at anyone in the group. Frowning, Jen turned to try to see what Shannon _was_ looking at, accidentally elbowing the Marine Corporal sitting next to her in the process. She found herself staring at the backs of Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Turner as they walked towards an empty booth on the other side of the room. Jen looked back at Shannon, who was now glaring down at the remains of her lunch sitting in front of her. Jen arched an eyebrow at her friend.

"They just walked by like we weren't even sitting here." At Jen's confused look Shannon continued. "They could have at least acknowledged us. I mean, it's not like they could have missed the fact that we're here."

"Maybe they were just trying to be nice." Jen said, playing devil's advocate. "If they acknowledged us, we would've had to properly acknowledge them. This way we can continue enjoying our lunch break, _and_ we don't have to try to pry ourselves out of these booths."

"You don't really believe that, Jen, anymore than we do." Wally said.

He had an arm slung across the shoulders of the Petty Officer sitting next to him, in between him and Shannon. Letting go of her now, he reached across the table to snag a couple of Jen's uneaten fries. Jen smacked his hand reflexively and he pulled back, pouting, before fishing a discarded pickle slice off of Shannon's plate.

"Commander Rabb would have said something." The Corporal sitting next to Jen said. Wally nodded his head while around them several others who had been listening to the conversation voiced their agreement. "He never tried to act like he was better than any of us just because of the stripes on his sleeve."

"Yeah, and remember when my sister was really sick and in the hospital?" A Marine sergeant sitting in the next booth added. "He saw that I was upset about something and made a point to ask me about it. None of the others would have done something like that."

Jen found herself nodding her agreement along with everyone else. While Lieutenant Roberts and Sims were generally pretty decent to the enlisted personnel, although understandably preoccupied lately by the upcoming birth of their new baby, they were only junior officers. Any new lawyers transferring in would surely take their cues from senior officers like Colonel Mackenzie or Commander Turner.

Jen looked over at the booth the two officers had settled in. They appeared to be talking animatedly between themselves as they ate their lunch. With a sigh she turned back to her own half-eaten meal. The conversation had changed to something a little less volatile and she let it wash over her as she ate.

Her thoughts turned in a direction she'd managed to avoid most of the morning. But then, with all the talk of Harm, it wasn't really surprising that she would start thinking about her new boyfriend. She felt a small thrill, carefully concealed from her friends, go through her at the thought that she could call him her boyfriend. They hadn't had time to talk much this morning before she had to rush off, but they had both agreed that what had happened wasn't just a drunken fling and that they both wanted to explore whatever it was that was between them. They would have plenty of time to talk tonight, though, something she was looking forward to.

1930 local time  
North of Union Station  
Washington, DC

_Knock Knock Knock__  
_  
"I'll be right there." Harm called, setting down the knife he had been using to cut up vegetables for a salad. He made his way out of the kitchen and over to the door. He'd learned his lesson last night when he'd ended up entertaining Sturgis for several hours simply because he'd just invited him in.

Opening the door, he found Jen trying to maintain her grip on an armful of books and her purse at the the same time.

"Let me get those." He said, reaching out to take her books from her.

She smiled gratefully as he relieved her of her burden. After a moment of awkwardness about which way each of them would go they exchanged a tentative kiss before Jen stepped into the apartment.

"So you got signed up for class okay?"

"Mm-hmm." Jen nodded. "I must have bought out half the bookstore though. You'd think I had signed up for a full class load and not just one little internet class."

Harm chuckled.

"So what happened last night?" He asked over his shoulder as he went to set her books down on his desk. "I thought you were going to come over after work."

"I was. I _did_. But I saw Commander Turner's car in front of the building and I just..." She trailed off, unable to look him in the eye.

Harm walked back over to her. "You can't be court-martialed for this Jen. There's no reg prohibiting current Navy personnel from being involved with_ former _Navy personnel, even if the person in question was an officer."

She nodded her head and he reached out to caress her cheek. "But that's not the only reason you didn't come up last night. Is it?"

Jen bit her lip, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. It's nothing to do with you. It's my issues, my insecurities. And the fact that we're still trying to figure out what this is ourselves. I'm not ready to tell people and having to deal with their opinions and their judgments of us and how this happened."

Jen scrubbed her hands over her face. "I kept dancing around it, or even outright lied, all day yesterday and then I would feel guilty, but I kept on doing it anyway and-"

"Hey, hey. It's okay Jen. It is. I'm not mad at you or anything. And if I'm going to be honest with myself, I'm not in any hurry to go public either. Or I would have said something to Sturgis and politely kicked him out after half an hour instead of spending half the night listening to him complain about Bud." Harm shook his head as if to try to rid himself of the memory. Then he smiled down at her and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "I like the idea of having you all to myself. So we'll keep this just between us for right now."

Jen released the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her. She'd been worried that Harm would be upset that she didn't want to take their relationship public right away.

She pressed a kiss to his lips, then stepped around him to go put her purse on the desk next to her books. Seeing Harm had set them down next to another pile of books, she glanced at them curiously then looked back at him.

"What's this stuff?"

"_My_ homework." Harm said, stepping up next to her. "I got a job today."

"That's great Harm!" Jen said, spinning to face him. She hugged him. "That was fast. Although I'm not surprised. With your trial experience every law firm in DC probably wanted to get their hands on you."

"It's not with a law firm Jen." Harm said quietly. "It's with the CIA."

Jen pulled back. "What?"

She turned away from him, bracing herself against the desk. The room was spinning and she was having trouble breathing. Harm wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"I was so worried, the whole time you were in Paraguay..."

"I'm not a field agent Jen. I'm going to fly for them. That's all." He tugged gently on her waist and, after a moment's resistance, she let him lead her over to the couch. He dropped down onto it and pulled her down onto his lap. "You don't have to worry. I'll be thousands of miles above all the action. I'll be safe."

"You can't say that. Not for sure. You of all people should know that."

"I...you're right. I can't." Harm fell silent.

Jen looked at him, seeing the things he hadn't said about this job. It wouldn't be just a paycheck for him. Taking it would be a way for him to continue serving his country, something that was important to him even if he really didn't talk about it very much. It was also a chance for him to continue flying professionally, something he'd probably thought he'd have to give up when he couldn't go back to the Navy.

Somehow, she knew, if she chose to make an issue of this, he wouldn't take this job. For her. But if she really cared about him, how could she ask him to give all that up?

So after a moment, she nodded her head slightly. Harm relaxed slightly, confirming her suspicions. His arms, wrapped around her, tightened on her just a little bit.

They stayed that way for a few more minutes, enjoying the comfortable silence and each others company. Remembering what he'd been working on before she'd arrived, Harm spoke up.

"Are you hungry?"

"Starved." Jen said, grinning as she lowered her head to kiss him.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers: None of this is mine  
Setting: Season 9

1800 local time  
Jennifer Coates' apartment  
Washington DC

Knock Knock Knock

Standing outside Jen's apartment, Harm toyed with the stems of the flowers he was holding while he waited for someone to answer the door. He didn't have to wait long. A moment later, the door swung open and Harm found himself looking down at a young woman with the brightest red hair he'd ever seen. Surprised, he tried to speak, opening and closing his mouth a few times, but no sound came out.

For her part, the woman took one look at him and half turned to call back into the apartment.

"Jen, your date's here!"

She stepped back and to the side, gesturing for Harm to come in. He stepped cautiously into the apartment, looking around curiously as the woman swung the door shut behind him. He'd been to Jen's apartment before but this was the first time he'd been inside it.

Jen stuck her head out of what he assumed was her bedroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel. "I'll just be another minute."

"It's okay. We've still got some time."

She smiled at him then ducked back into the room and closed the door. Harm walked into the living room, the redhead trailing after him, her hands shoved in her back pockets.

"I'm Marcie by the way."

"Hm?" Harm looked up from a picture of Jen at a party with the redhead, a blond when it was taken, and two other women. "Oh...Harm."

He shifted the flowers to his left hand and held out his right.

"I know." She said, taking his hand in one of hers. And she held onto it for a little longer than she needed to.

When Harm finally got his hand back, he turned back to the pictures he had been looking at, mostly Jen's roommates with various family members, and tried to ignore the way Marcie was looking at him.

They waited in silence for several minutes before Marcie spoke up again.

"So you're the reason we've barely seen Jen around here lately. Not that I can blame her..." She trailed off, then changed the subject slightly. "Jen told us you're a pilot."

"Um, yes. You could say it's something of a family tradition." Harm said but didn't elaborate.

"So I guess that means you're pretty good with your hands." She said with a grin. She laid a hand on his arm.

Shocked, Harm stared down at her, unable to believe that she'd actually said that. And when had she moved so that she was standing right next to him? He pulled away from her, trying to figure out how to respond. He was saved from having to come up with an answer, though, by the sound of a door opening. A second later Jen walked into the room.

Harm looked over at her, and promptly forgot all about Marcie standing there.

Seeing Harm staring at her, Jen stopped, toying with the hem of her t-shirt.

"You said casual. Is this too casual?"

"No. You look...wow." Never before had he found someone in a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt so sexy. For a moment, he was tempted to reconsider his plans for the evening.

Jen blushed at Harm's appreciative gaze.

"He's a keeper Jen."

"Yeah," Jen said, speaking to Marcie but continuing to look at Harm. "I think so."

She walked over to the two of them and Harm held the flowers out to her.

"These are for you."

Jen brought them up to her nose, inhaling their fragrance, before standing on tip-toe to press a chaste kiss to Harm's cheek.

"Thank you. They're beautiful. Just let me put them in some water and we can go."

Harm nodded. He took a step to follow her so he wouldn't be left alone with Marcie again, but she waved for him to stay there, so with a sigh and a wary glance at the redhead he stayed put. Jen was back in less than a minute, though, and after grabbing a leather jacket slung over the back of a chair, the two of them headed towards the door.

Once they were out in the hallway, Harm turned to face Jen, wrapping his arms around her waist. Grinning, she wound her hands around his neck as he lowered his head and kissed her.

"I missed you." Harm said when they finally pulled apart.

"You just saw me this morning."

"For about two minutes before you left for work. You should have woke me when you got up." He grinned lecherously down at her. "We could have gotten a shower together."

"But then I never would have gotten to work on time." Jen said with a grin of her own.

Reluctantly leaving the circle of his arms, she took his hand and pulled him towards the stairs. Once outside, Harm opened the passenger side door for her before walking around and getting into the driver's side. He put the car in gear while Jen fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station she liked. Once she had, she turned the volume down so it was only a background noise.

"Your roommate is disturbing."

Jen looked over at him, frowning. "How so?"

"Leaving aside the topic of her hair, if you hadn't come out when you did, I really thought she was going to jump me."

"Oh, that." Jen said, giggling.

Taking his eyes off the road for a second, Harm glanced over at her, shocked. But Jen just waved dismissively at him.

"Don't worry, Marcie's harmless. She wouldn't have done anything. Her boyfriend was transferred to Okinawa about two weeks ago. They were going pretty hot and heavy there before he left and she's still...adjusting. She was the same way with the super just the other day."

Harm arched an eyebrow, not seeing how that particular argument made her case.

"He's pushing eighty Harm." Jen explained. "Trust me,_ Admiral Chegwidden _could have walked in tonight and she would have reacted the same way."

Now it was Harm's turn to chuckle.

A comfortable silence descended on the car. They rode that way for a while until Jen finally spoke up.

"So are you going to tell me now where we're going?"

Harm shook his head. "Nope. It's a surprise. Though I will tell you that we're almost there."

Even more curious now, Jen started looking around, trying to figure our where they might be headed. When Harm took the turn off for the fairgrounds, she frowned, wondering what they would be doing there. Then she saw the signs for who was playing at the Amphitheater that night. She spun around to face him.

"No! Really? But you hate them."

Harm grinned over at her. "I never said I hated them, just that I couldn't believe you liked that song."

Jen smacked his arm playfully. "Does this mean that's our song now?"

Harm pretended to think about the idea as he pulled into a parking spot, prompting Jen to hit him again. He grinned and leaned over to give her a quick kiss. "That's fine with me. Happy one month anniversary Jen."

"Happy anniversary Harm." Jen said, pressing another quick kiss to his lips.

"Don't get your hopes up for front row seats though." Harm said as they got out of the car. At Jen's playfully pouty look, he smiled and unlocked the trunk. Reaching inside, he pulled out a big blanket. "Trust me, I have something even better in mind."

* * *

Harm's idea of 'something better' turned out to be the lawn seating in the very back. But as she sat on the blanket, leaning back against Harm's chest with his arms wrapped around her as they listened to the music, Jen decided that it was indeed better than any front row seats could have been. And sitting all the way back here, the music wasn't so loud that they couldn't hear each other talk.

She lifted one of his hands to her lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and looked up at him.

"Did you work today?"  
Harm grimaced and nodded his head. "Flew some Deputy Director of something or other to New York for a meeting this morning."

Harm shook his head, as if to rid himself of bad memories. "I don't really want to talk about it. How about you? How was your day?"

"About the same as always. Except Lieutenant Sims brought baby Jimmy in this afternoon. You should see him Harm. He's so adorable.

Harm chuckled, enjoying the way her eyes lit up when she started talking about the baby.

"Spoken like someone who'd like to have one of her own someday."

"Yeah, I'd like to have a couple of kids someday..." Jen paused and glanced at him, a teasing glint in her eye. "If I ever meet the right guy."

Harm puts a hand to his heart in mock pain. "Ow. You wound me."

Jen elbowed him in the ribs. "There. Now you're wounded. And that's what you get for trying to change the subject."

"Change the subject?" Harm asked innocently, trying to play dumb.

Jen didn't fall for it though. "Yes change the subject. You know I'm not going to let up till you at least call Lieutenants Roberts and Sims. They're your friends Harm and they just had a baby. Lieutenant Roberts is always asking about you at work, about whether anyone's heard from you."

Harm sighed. "I know. And you're right, I do need to call them. And I will, I promise. Just...not tonight."

Jen nodded her head, accepting his words. They listened to the next couple of songs in silence until they heard the familiar opening notes to their song. Standing up, Harm holds out his hand to Jen.

"Can I have this dance?"

Grinning, Jen took his offered hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around Harm's neck while his went around her waist. They swayed together to the music until Harm reached up and took one of her hands, spinning her around before bringing her back close to his body. Jen rested her head on his shoulder and Harm started stroking her hair while they continued to dance.

"Jen?"

"Hmm?"

"Jen, I love you."

Jen was silent and for a moment Harm was afraid she hadn't heard him, or worse, didn't feel the same way. Then he felt her small frame start to shake in his arms. She looked up at him, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"I love you too Harm."

Harm felt a smile tugging at his lips. Leaning down, he pressed a tender kiss to Jen's lips as they continued swaying to the music.

1030 local time  
Somewhere on Rt 168  
Northern Virginia

"You're angry."

Jen didn't say anything right away. Harm watched her work the gearshift. Her movements where jerky and abrupt, giving Harm his answer without her needing to say anything.

"I'm not angry. I'm upset. And confused." Jen said, finally speaking up. "Why would you _ask _to be taken off of probation?"

"Jen, this has nothing to do with our relationship or how I feel about you. I just..." Harm sighed. "I can't keep doing what I've been doing. Chauffeuring people around to high level meetings. I'm like a glorified taxi driver."

Jen gripped the steering wheel harder, staring straight ahead. "Okay. I get that. I do. But it's not okay for you to not talk to me about this. And I don't mean to get my permission or anything. You could have at least told me you were going to do this. Instead, the first I hear about it is when you call me up to ask for a ride to the airport!"

Jen stopped at the checkpoint and rolled her window down. Harm leaned towards her to show the guard his ID. The man, dressed in normal clothes but wearing a shoulder holster, examined Harm's credentials for a moment then waved Jen through.

Surprised, Jen slowly accelerated. "I can't believe they're going to let me go this far."

Harm pointed her towards a runway were the plane at the end of it was obviously prepping to leave. "Maybe it's cause nobody actually deploys on a mission from here. Or whatever the CIA term for it is. This is where you go to _get _to the place you deploy from."

Jen put the car in park a few yards from the plane. She popped the trunk then got out, watching with her arms crossed over her chest as Harm pulled his duffel out of her car. Harm slung it over his shoulder only to drop it at his feet after walking over to her. Jen looked away, still upset, but Harm hooked his index fingers through a couple of her belt loops and tugged her close to him.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you what I was thinking about doing. I guess I'm still getting used to having someone _to _share this kind of thing with."

Someone stuck his head out of the plane, looking around till he spotted Harm. "Wheels up in two Rabb."

"Okay." He called over his shoulder. Focusing back on Jen, he rested his forehead against hers. "Can you forgive me?"

Jen sighed and uncrossed her arms, wrapping them around Harm's neck. Harm's reflexively went around her waist. "Of course."

She stood up on tiptoe and kissed him. Harm brought one hand up from her waist, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"Wheels up Rabb."

Jen reluctantly disentangled herself from Harm's embrace. "I love you Harm. Stay safe."

"I love you too Jen."

Harm reached into his pocket for his keys, taking one off his keyring once he had them in his hands. He held it out to Jen.

"What's this?" Jen asked.

"A spare key to my apartment."

Jen smirked at him. "You want me to water your plants for you while your gone?"

"I don't have any plants."

The smirk slowly disappears. "Are you...are you asking me to move in with you?"

"I know it's kinda sudden. And that we haven't really been seeing each other all that long. But I know what I want, and it's you."

"Rabb, wheels up T-minus two minutes ago!"

Harm spun around. "Just give me a minute!"

Harm turned back to Jen. She was still looking like she had gotten hit by a Mack truck. "Look, you don't have to give me an answer right now. In fact, I don't want you to."

He placed the key in the pam of her hand and curled her fingers around it. "Just think about it. And let me know when you're ready."

Jen nodded her head jerkily. Harm pressed one last kiss to her cheek, then bent down and grabbed his duffel, slinging it over his shoulder. Jen watched him walk over to the plane waiting to take him who knows where, so he could do who knows what. In moments he was inside and the plane was all sealed up for takeoff.

She hugged herself, still clutching Harm's key tightly in her hand, as she watched the plane carrying the man she loved start to accelerate down the runway.

She was still standing there in that spot long after the plane was only a speck in the sky.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers: None of this is mine  
Summary: Some relationships develop over time. Others, at a more accelerated pace.

A/N: My apologies for how long it's taken to update this. Thank you to everyone who's stuck with it :)

1715 local time  
North of Union Station  
Washington DC

With an exhausted sigh, Harm unlocked the door to his apartment. The mission had been more grueling than he'd expected and the post-mission debriefing even more so. He dropped his duffel bag to the floor without even looking where it was falling, and looked around for Jen. Not that he was expecting to find her. He hadn't seen her car parked downstairs but he was still hoping.

What he found instead surprised him. Sitting on the island counter top was a small potted plant with a red ribbon tied around the edge of the pot. Seeing a note propped up in front of it, he walked over and picked it up, chuckling when he read what was written there.

**Now you have a plant for me to water when you're gone. I think it adds color to your apartment.****  
****Try not to kill it when I'm not here.**

Sitting the note back down on the counter, Harm headed towards his bedroom. There was a long, hot shower calling his name.

He had just finished and was stepping out of the shower when he heard a knock on the door. Grabbing a towel he quickly ran it over his body before wrapping it around his waist and hurrying over to the door. Opening it, he found Jen standing outside.

"Hey." He said, smiling at the sight of her.

"Hey yourself." She responded, grinning as she gave his nearly naked body a slow once over.

Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips before walking around him and into his apartment. Harm closed and locked the door, turning around just as Jen flung herself into his arms. He stumbled backwards, into the door, as the kiss quickly became heated.

The kiss finally ended but they stayed where they were, wrapped up in each other's arms. Jen tangled the fingers of one hand into Harm's chest hair, dislodging a few stray water droplets still there.

"Mmmm. I think somebody missed me." She said with a grin, grinding herself against his already hardening member.

Harm groaned. "You have no idea."

Grasping the edges of her shirt, he quickly stripped it off of her. Starting just below her ear he started pressing lazy kisses down her neck and along her shoulder, nudging her bra strap out of the way with his nose as he moved along.

Jen sighed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I missed you too."

She felt him grin against her skin as he continued his loving assault on her body.

Harm was just about to unhook her bra when he noticed a bag lying on the floor next to his duffel bag. He paused, belatedly realizing that Jen had brought it in with her.

"What's that?"

Jen glanced down to see what he was talking about.

"Just some stuff for dinner. I thought we'd want to eat in tonight." She grinned, reaching for his towel.

Harm grinned back. "I like the way you think."

Sweeping her up into his arms, he headed towards his bedroom.

* * *

Later, they lay spooning in the tangled sheets.

"Wow. That was...incredible. If this is what you're like after being gone for only a few days, I can't imagine what you were like after a six month deployment."

"I wasn't nearly so bad. It's all your fault actually. There's something about you that just drives me crazy."

"Good answer." Jen fell silent, enjoying the moment, before speaking up again. "Do you like your plant?"

"Hmm?" Harm paused in his examination of the honey colored birthmark on Jen's shoulder blade. "Oh, um, of course. It's very...green."

He pressed a kiss to the hollow of her neck as Jen giggled at his answer then reached out to take her hand, intertwining their fingers. He stared at their joined hands for a moment before broaching the subject that had been on his mind.

"Why didn't you use your key?"

Jen was silent for a minute. She'd known this was coming. She shifted around to face him. "You were home and I wasn't sure if you wanted me just barging in like that."

Harm stared at her, reading between the lines and picking up on what she hadn't said. Propping himself up on his elbow so he was looking down at her he let go of her hand and ran his fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

"I gave you the key for a reason Jen. Regardless of your decision, I want you to use it."

For a moment he was tempted to continue, to press her about that decision. But only for a moment. He had told her to take as much time as she needed to decide and he had meant that. He just hoped that her hesitancy to use the key he'd given her wasn't an indication of which way she was leaning towards.

Jen stared up into Harm's eyes, knowing exactly what was going through his mind in that moment. She held her breath, waiting for him to speak again. When he remained silent, she raised her head and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Thank you."

She didn't say for what and he didn't ask, but then, they didn't need to. They continued to stare into each other's eyes for another minute until Jen chuckled and slipped out of bed. Harm tried to grab her but she dodged him effortlessly.

"I'm going to get cleaned up before dinner." She said, heading towards the bathroom. She glanced back over her shoulder, a grin on her face. "You're welcome to join me."

Harm was out of bed and following after her without a second's hesitation, catching up to her inside the shower. Spinning her around, he pressed her up against the wall. Grinning, he reached down to turn the water on as he pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

Her hair still damp, Jen busied herself in the kitchen, the radio playing quietly in the background, while Harm sat on one of the island bar stools and watched.

"I didn't know you could cook."

Jen spun around to give him a mock glare. "I can cook just fine, thank you very much."

She paused, biting at her lower lip. "I do have a confession to make though."

Harm chuckled and got up off the stool. He walked around the island and into the kitchen proper. "I knew it! You've never done this before have you? You don't have to try to impress me Jen."

He reached past her for one of the cherry tomatoes she'd just finished cutting up for their salad but she smacked his fingers with the wooden spoon she was now holding in her hand. Harm pulled his hand back, a wounded look on his face. Unable to resist his puppy dog eyes, Jen sighed and plucked a tomato from the counter and popped it into his mouth before giving him a quick kiss.

"For the record, I've made lasagna plenty of times before." She hesitated a moment. "I've just never made a veggie lasagna before. And your teasing is not helping!"

She pointed with her spoon. "So out!"

"Okay, okay!" Harm said, holding his hands up in surrender. Then he lowered them and gave her a supportive smile. "I'm sure it will turn out just fine."

"Thank you. But you still need to leave."

Harm chuckled and snatched another piece of tomato before she could stop him then made a hasty retreat before she could bring her weapon of choice to bear on him again.

* * *

Jen reached for her wine glass, taking a sip while she watched Harm poke absently at the food on his plate.

"It's awful, isn't it?"

"What?" Harm asked, her words jarring him from his thoughts.

He watched Jen set her wineglass back down, his gaze drawn to her wrist for a moment, before looking up to meet her gaze. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

Jen sighed. "It's okay Harm. I had a feeling I should have found an actual recipe but I thought I could just modify mine and it would turn out fine. Obviously I was wrong."

"What?" Harm repeated, although now he understood what she was talking about. "No, it's fine Jen. It's better than fine actually."

He reached across the table to take her hand in his. "I'm sorry. You made this great dinner for us and here I am, my mind a million miles away."

"Where are you?"

"Stewing actually." He turned her hand over and rubbed his thumb over the inside of her wrist. "I picked up something for you while I was gone. A bracelet. I had some down time during the mission" _technically waiting for O'Neill to be released from jail could be considered down time _"and there was this street vendor selling handmade jewelry."

Harm grimaced and shook his head. "I don't know how they found out but they did and they confiscated it as soon as I got back. Gave me this nice little speech too, about compromising mission security and how I'd be reimbursed if and when I provided proof of the cost."

Harm snorted. "Like that's going to happen."

"What do you expect from a government agency?" Next time don't worry about it. As long as you come home safe, I don't need anything els..."

She trailed off, her eyes narrowing as something suddenly occurred to her. "Wait a minute. How were you able to come across a street vendor in the first place? What happened to flying thousands of feet above all the action?"

"Um..." Belatedly Harm realized the enormous hole he had stumbled into. He tried the only way he could think of to dig himself back out. "Um. I love you. Sweetie."

Jen pulled her hand out of his, refusing to be pacified by his words or his hopeful smile. "Tell me the truth Harm. If you hadn't slipped up just now, would you have ever told me?"

"Jen, you know I can't talk about -"

"I'm not asking for details Harm." Jen snapped, cutting him off. She paused, taking a deep breath. "Were you in any danger?"

Harm looked down at his plate, suddenly very interested in his dinner. He didn't say anything. And Jen had her answer. She fought back the sudden panic clawing at her heart and reached out to take his hand again.

"Don't try to coddle me Harm. Next time, I want to know."

At that, Harm looked back up at her. "There won't be a next time Jen. As soon as we got back I told them no more field work. No matter what the situation on the ground looks like."

"Okay." Jen said, but couldn't help wondering if Harm was just trying to calm her or if he really believed the CIA would let him set conditions like that. Because if another situation came up...

With an effort Jen pushed those thoughts aside. If it happened, it happened and they would deal with it. Worrying about maybes would only rob her of what was happening right now.

"Okay." Jen said again, then deliberately changed the subject as she picked her fork back up. The corners of her lips curved up as she looked at Harm. "Now eat your dinner and maybe you'll get dessert."

* * *

Jen woke up a couple of minutes before the alarm went off. Reaching out, she turned it off so that it wouldn't wake Harm up. She took those extra couple of minutes to just lie there and enjoy the feel of his arms around her. Her thoughts turned again to his offer to move in. She'd initially been hesitant, afraid that they were moving too fast. But as she felt the steady beat of his heart against her back and listened to the rhythmic sound of his breathing, his gentle exhales tickling the back of her neck, she decided that that didn't matter. She couldn't imagine ever being with anyone else but him. And she could definitely get used to waking up like this.

With a sigh of regret, she slipped out of his arms, being careful not to disturb him, and headed towards the shower. Ten minutes later she stepped back into the bedroom and found Harm awake. He gave her a sleepy smile and she gave him a quick kiss before walking over to his closet. She'd learned through painful experience to keep a spare uniform over here for mornings just like this.

Harm rolled over and watched her get dressed, his eyes admiring her body. Jen grinned at his overly dramatic sighing every time another piece of clothing went on.

"So will I see you later or do you have an all night cram session planned at the library tonight?"

Jen finished buttoning her blouse and turned around."I do have to go to the library to pick up some books for a paper I have to write but that should only take a couple of hours. I'll be over after that."

She started gathering up strands of her hair, pulling them into a quick braid. "Can you do me a favor? Can you call about renting a truck for this weekend? I don't think I'll be able to fit it in today."

Harm nodded. "Sure. In fact, I have a friend who's got a truck. If he doesn't have any plans he might let us -"

He broke off, realizing what Jen was saying. He looked up at her. "Really?"

Jen nodded, grinning.

Harm whooped in delight. Jumping out of bed, he rushed over to her, took her in his arms and spun her around. Setting her back on her feet, he stared down into her eyes, suddenly serious. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you Jen."

"I love you Harm." She said, pulling him down for a kiss.

"So does this mean I get to redecorate?" She asked when they finally broke apart.

Harm laughed. "Sure. Why not. Just don't foofify my apartment."

"Foofify." Jen repeated, trying to keep a straight face. She was unsuccessful though, the corners of her lips quirking upward as she continued. "Is that a legal term?"

"Absolutely. One of the first ones they teach you in law school." He kissed her again then grimaced when he noticed what time it was. Spinning her around, he swatted her backside lightly. "Get going before you're late. We'll talk more about this when you get home."

Jen looked back over her shoulder, still grinning. "I can't wait."


End file.
